Masonry and other hard structures used as a part of a landscape design are known as the “hardscape”. The hardscape incorporates structures such as pathways, sidewalks, steps, driveways, retaining walls and the like into an aesthetic installation generally, although not exclusively, in an outdoor setting which combines plant, masonry, and lighting elements to enhance the visual environment of a residence, commercial facility or school campus to cite but a few examples.
The hardscape may be formed, inter alia, of concrete, natural stone, bricks or blocks manufactured from concrete or other hard materials which are available in various colors, shapes and textures that simulate natural or quarried stone. Such products, for example, those provided by companies such as E P Henry of Woodbury, N.J., constitute structural systems which allow for the construction of structures such as patios, driveways, roadbeds and walkways using discrete masonry elements that may be positioned adjacent one another to form a surface without the use of mortar. The structure is, nevertheless, a substantially permanent structure due to the weight, regular shape, friction and quasi-interlocking nature of the discrete elements.
As lighting is often an important component of the landscape design, it is desirable to incorporate lighting elements, such as lamps or markers, into the design. Present practice features stand-alone lamps that mount adjacent to the hardscaping and which may also require an electrical box adjacent the hardscaping, often requiring significant modification of one or more of the discrete elements around the lamp. It would be advantageous to provide lamps that form an integral part of the hardscape and which require minimum modification of the hardscaping.